BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org

WICHITA — Coffeyville Resources Refining and Marketing, LLC, has settled federal lawsuits filed by several Coffeyville-area property owners who claimed their properties were contaminated with crude oil from the Coffeyville-based refinery complex during the July 2007 flood.

Settlement papers were signed Friday, Aug. 27, in federal district court in Wichita by attorneys representing the property owners and Coffeyville Resources.
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BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org

Despite facing tough economic times, Montgomery County is experiencing a construction boom.

The Sept. 2 edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle has a story detailing some of the major construction projects underway in Coffeyville, Independence, Cherryvale and Caney. Among those projects are construction of a new elementary school in Independence, renovations to two other Independence school campuses, construction of a new fire station in Caney, construction of a new Dollar General Store in Cherryvale as well as a major street improvement project in that community, and construction of the U.S. 169 highway project and the new radiation oncology center at Coffeyville Regional Medical Center.

The projects mentioned in the Chronicle story have a collective price tag of more than $110 million.

See the story on page A1 of the Montgomery County Chronicle for more details.

CANEY — Five classroom projects at Lincoln Memorial Elementary School are seeking donations from persons across the world via the online website DonorsChoose.org.

The projects seek donations to pay for various classroom materials and resources — ranging from storage boxes for books and binders to a new digital camera and accompanying photo printer.

Donors Choose.org is an online charity site that makes it easy for donors to contribute funds to any specific school project in the nation. Any amount of money can be given to a specific project listed at the website. Once a project reaches its funding goal, the materials are purchased and delivered to the school.

Students will then take photos of the project and have them sent to you to confirm that the materials purchased with your donation are being used in the classroom.

Complete details about this unique online program can be found on page A1 of the Sept. 2 edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle.

CHERRYVALE — The City of Cherryvale held its first of two scheduled “Free Swim” sessions at the municipal pool on Saturday, Aug. 28. Approximately 70 children and one dozen adults attended to provide input on the pool’s current condition and feast on free hot dogs and hamburgers.

However, the pool’s aging condition revealed itself after the free admission event when a chlorine pump malfunctioned and is now not repairable. Greg McDanel, city administrator, said that without the pump circulating and aerating the pool water, it is impossible to keep the chlorine at levels necessary for a healthy swimming environment.

“At this point, it does not make financial sense to repair the pump before closing the pool for the winter,” said McDanel, adding that the free admission session scheduled for today (Thursday), has been cancelled.

“We appreciate those that attended last Saturday’s event and those who have completed the swimming pool surveys,” said McDanel. “If you have not received your survey or would like to complete one, please print one from www.cheryvaleusa.com and return it to city hall. Survey results and other municipal swimming pool issues will be discussed at upcoming City Council meetings.

For more information, contact Greg McDanel, city administrator, at (620) 336-2104.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office is continuing to investigate a fire that destroyed a local home and spread to an adjacent property on Tuesday afternoon.

Coffeyville interim fire chief Jim Grimmett said a preliminary investigation into the fire at 1313 S. Willow on Tuesday afternoon has determined the fire was intentionally set.

No further details on the fire’s origin or investigation were revealed.
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This week’s edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle contains the Chronicle’s annual football contest: Paydirt Payday.

Football fans can enjoy this annual competition as they pick the winners of the upcoming weekend college and NFL games. Top winners receive cash prizes ($20 for first place, $10 second place) with first- and second-place winners having their names entered for a season-ending grand prize: $100 cash!
Entry form is on page B3 of the Sept. 2 edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle. Look for the 16 games hidden in the advertisements in the Paydirt Payday contest. Write the name of the team you think will win the upcoming weekend games. Don’t forget to include the name of the advertisement in which the game is found.

There are two tie-breaking contests at the bottom of the contest. Participants will only need to write down the combined score of both teams in the games that are listed. It is not necessary to pick each game’s winner.

All entry forms must be sent to the Montgomery County Chronicle offices in Caney (202 W. Fourth, P.O. Box 186, Caney, KS 67333) or Cherryvale (115 N. Labette, P.O. Box 156, Cherryvale, KS 67335) by 10 p.m., Friday or postmarked on Friday. Entries also can be faxed to (620) 879-2855 or (620) 336-2101.

Paydirt Payday will be seen weekly in the Montgomery County Chronicle during the course of the regular high school football season.

Plans for construction of a new livestock barn at Cherryvale’s Logan Park took a big step forward on Saturday when a Cherryvale farmer was awarded a $2,500 grant from a nationally-recognized agricultural seed company.
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BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org

Mary Birdsong hung up her grocery store smock for the last time last Thursday, bringing the end to a career that lasted 32 years.

Birdsong, a lifelong Cherryvale resident, officially retired as the dayshift clerk at G&W Foods — a position she held ever since she was hired by the late Mack Haynes at Town and Country Supermarket. That was 32 years ago (or 17 store managers ago, she jokingly says), a time when Birdsong was hoping only for a part-time job as a grocery store clerk.
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The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued an Emergency Order of Suspension against Ms. Jiffies Day Care, a licensed group day care home located at 1005 W. 1st in  Coffeyville.

State law allows the Secretary of KDHE to issue such an order when, in the opinion of the Secretary, the order is necessary to protect children in the home from any potential threat to health or safety.

The order is subject to appeal to the Secretary.